🔗 Share this article

The British racing driver stated he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."